Fruit-picker.



l1211111111311 Nov. 22, 1904.

J. W. BUCHANAN.

FRUIT PICKER.

APYLIOATION FILED 111112.11. 1904.

N0 MODEL.

Patented November 22, 1904.

PATENT OEEicE.

JAMES W. BUCHANAN, OF ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA.

FRUIT-PICKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 775,519, dated November 22, 1904.

Application filed February 1l, 1904. Serial No. 193,092. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES W. BUCHANAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Asheville, in the county of Buncombe and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Pickers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to fruit-pickers, and has for its object to provide a fruit-picker which is simple in its construction, easy and cheap to manufacture, and composed of a minimum number of parts.

A further object of my invention is to provide a fruit-picker which is so arranged that it will cut the stem of the fruit to be picked.

A further object of my invention is to provide a cutting device, as will be hereinafter fully described. c

With these objects in view my invention consists in the novel arrangement of parts of my fruit-picker and in certain combination of parts, which will be iirst fully described and i afterward specifically pointed out in the appcnded claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the frame of the fruit-picker, -showing general construction. Fig. 2 is a vertical section showing the cups attached to the frame. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Like numerals of reference indicate the same parts throughout the several iigures, in whichl is the fruit-picker, having a handle 2 of a suitable length.

3 indicates one of the cup-frames, which is provided with a knife-edge 4 and a series of perforations 5, by means of which thecup 6 is attached, said cup being made of canvas or any other suitable material. The cup-frame 3 is constructed, preferably, of a single piece of metal, which is bent to form the circular frame 3, and the metal is then carried parallel,

forming the shank 6', and it is again spread at 7 to straddle the handle 2, to which it is secured by bolts or rivets 8.

9 indicates a movable frame which is provided with a knife-edge 10, which frame is also constructed, preferably, of a single piece of metal bent circularly to form said frame 9 and carried parallel to form the shank 11, where it is bent outwardly at 12 to straddle the shank 6, to which it is pivoted at 13. A stop 14 is secured as shown in Fig. 1 in order to limit the movement of said frame 9. The shank 11 is bent substantially at right angles and to the extreme end thereof, and secured at 15 is a suitable cord or wire 16, which passes down and through a staple 17 on the handle 2. Secured also to said shank 11 at 18, just under the frame 9, is a suitable spring 19, one end of which is also secured to the staple 2O on the handle 2. The frame 9 is also provided with a series of perforations 21, by means of which the cup 62 is secured to the frame.

Within the shank 6 and between the metal forming the same I locate a knife 22, provided with a knife-edge 23, said knife-edge extending within the shank 11 when the device is in position as shown in Fig. 2 and as shown in section in Fig. 3.

The construction shown in Fig. 3 provides for utilizing the picker for cutting limbs from trees either when utilizing the device as a fruitpicker or otherwise.

Having thus described the several parts of my invention, its operation is obvious. The picker is raised until the fruit is between the cups 6 62, and the cord or wire 16 is pulled, which brings the frame 9 in contact with the frame 3 and brings the knife-edges 10 and 4 together, thus cutting the stem of the fruit and securely holding the same within the cups 6 62 in order to deposit the fruit in a suit able receptacle. The cord or wire 16 is released, and the spring 19 opens the picker and deposits the fruit. When utilizing the knife 22, the limb or twig to be cut is between knife 23 and the shank 11. By pulling the cord or wire 16 the shank 11 is brought'forcibly over the knife-edge 23, as shown in Fig. 2 and also in section in Fig. 3, which effectually cuts the twig` or limb. This is sometimes necessary to be done when picking fruit; also in trimming the tree.

Having thus described my invention, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact construction herein set forth, as various slight changes may be made therein which would fall within the limit and scope of my invention, and I consider myself clearly entitled to all such changes and modifications.

VVhatI claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, 1s-

1. In a fruit-picker, the combination of a suitable handle and a frame formed preferably of a single piece of metal bent circularly forming a knife-edge, a shank formed by said metal, means for securing the same to said handle, a frame constructed preferably of a single piece of metal bent circularly forming a knife-edge andashank formed on said frame and adapted to straddle the said former shank and pivoted thereto, a knife secured in said structed preferably of a single piece of metal bent circularly forming a knife-edge and a shank formed on said frame and pivoted to said former shank, a knife secured to said former shank and adapted to coact'with said latter shank when said Shanks and frames are brought together.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES W. BUCHANAN.

Witnesses:

lVM. S. THOMPSON, E. H. HUNT. 

